Under-20 pushes for early camp
Malawi under-20 national football team coaches want the junior Flames to regroup earlier, ahead of the second-leg against Swaziland in the Caf Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The Meke Mwase team was scheduled to regroup on April 11 but the coaches are planning to meet Football Association of Malawi (Fam) officials to consider bringing the camp training forward.
The junior Flames drew 0-0 against Swaziland at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe on Saturday and will meet their counterparts on April 21 at Mavuso Sports Complex in Mbabane.
Malawi under-20 Team Manager, Aubrey Nankhuni, insisted that their wish for an early camp was not a sign of panick.
“We are still in contention and it is a 50- 50 affair. Of course, our initial plan was to regroup on April 11 but we are thinking of bringing forward the date. We will meet tomorrow [today] and one of the things to be discussed is whether it is possible to change the date.
“If the idea to bring the date forward is rejected, we will look at ways of improving the team so as to get a good result in Swaziland,” he said.
Nankhuni is in the coaching panel also comprising assistant Coach Lovemore Fazili and Flames mentor Ronny van Geneugden as the supervisor.
Fam General Secretary, Alfred Gunda, said they would implement whatever the coaches want.
“They are the technicians and, if they bring a proposal to bring the camping date forward, we will not object,” he said.
Junior Flames need, at least, any scoring draw or a win to progress to the next round.
After the game, Mwase told the press that his charges did not win due to bad luck whereas his Swaziland counterpart, Dumisani Makhanya, insisted that their game-plan was to frustrate Malawi.
A vibrant writer who gives a great insight on hot topics and issues
